Papal Notes - Lebanon bends the knee

"When you listen carefully to the statements made by Lebanon’s leaders during the Pope’s visit, it becomes clear that people are misplacing their hope. 

Cardinal Bechara Boutros Rai openly said that the nation is depending on the Pope’s visit to “turn the page” and bring “hope and peace.” 

His words present the Pontiff as the key figure capable of renewing the country, healing divisions, and guiding Lebanon through its “very, very critical moment.”
In Lebanon, many are looking to the Pope as their source of hope, believing that his visit can bring change and a fresh start for their troubled nation. These leaders describe his presence as the key to “opening a new page,” revealing a growing dependence on Rome and its leader as the answer to Lebanon’s crisis, rather than looking to Christ—the only true source of lasting peace, hope, and restoration.
The Bible consistently warns that ultimate hope cannot be found in

man: “Cursed be the man that trusteth in man” (Jeremiah 17:5). 
Revelation 13, 17, and 18 reveal that the world will increasingly turn to the Papal system as the center for global unity, peace, and healing. Lebanon’s longing for the Pope to bring renewal and transformation is a small but significant example of this global trend." 

AdventMessenger

IN the NEWS - Yom Kippur Attack Thwarted

Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: 1 Samuel 24:13

"German prosecutors announced in a statement Wednesday that authorities have apprehended three suspected Hamas members who were allegedly procuring weapons "for assassinations targeting Israeli or Jewish institutions."

The trio has been charged with membership in a foreign terrorist organization and preparing an act of violence endangering the state, in a somewhat rare case, given Hamas does not tend to operate transnationally - especially in moments of direct, intensified war with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
However, the three - so far only identified by the first names and last initials, are not Palestinian. Two are said to be German, while the third was born in Lebanon. They are set to appear before a judge on Thursday.
The men identified as Abed Al G, Wael F M and Ahmad I were arrested in Berlin, which notably came a day before Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.
CNN has cited a prosecutor statement as saying, "Since at least the summer of 2025 the three have been involved in procuring firearms and ammunition" for Hamas.
Police found "various weapons, including an AK 47 assault rifle and several pistols, and a considerable amount of ammunition." during raids on their homes during the arrest." 

ZeroHedge

SDA Issues - Waka Waka in our Lebanon school?

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6

"The Bourj Hammoud Adventist Learning Center (BHALC) is located in Beirut, Lebanon, and is one of seven educational institutions located in the Middle East and North Africa Union of Seventh-day Adventists (MENA). 

Recently, young students from this Adventist Learning Center danced to the song “Waka Waka” by Colombian Latin pop musician Shakira. Shakira is a Grammy-award-winning artist who is famous for her belly dancing.
We have completely lost sight of God’s purpose when it comes to educating children. When wrongdoing is ignored in the church, it will just spin out of control and multiply. This is true in any church and with any people. When error is left to flourish, it only opens the door for more dangerous heresies to come in." 

AdventMessenger

VIOLENCE: Allow me to introduce another theory to man's theories

"There are two prevailing theories about the early history of interpersonal violence: 

One claims violence erupted as humans transitioned from hunter-

gathering to settled communities; 

the other claims violence was rampant in early communities before the transition to farming led to cooperation and greater peace, per Scientific American. 

Yet "a more nuanced picture is emerging," according to an ambitious new study of the remains of 3,539 people who died in what is now Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan up to 400 B.C., per Newsweek. European researchers, who sought to learn about violence among humans at a time when written records are largely absent, came up with findings that don't neatly match either of the two narratives.
"Crowding and rising inequality may have triggered conflicts following appropriation of other groups' resources," reads the study published Monday in Nature Human Behavior, per Cosmos Magazine. " Newswer

Here's Another "Theory":
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him.....The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked....
John 8:44/Jeremiah 17:9

IN the NEWS - Is Lebanon a Taste of the Winter Energy Crises to Come?

Is this Taste of what we have been Warning about for this winter's coming Crises?

How is this happening in the 21st Century?

Will this Winter be a Winter of Social Unrest?

Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth... Luke 21:26

"On Saturday the entirety of Lebanon was plunged into darkness, with the electricity grid shut down completely after the small Mediterranean country's two main power stations reportedly ran out of fuel.  "The al Zahrani and the Deir Ammar power stations stopped working after supplies of diesel were apparently exhausted, and energy production dropped to below 200

megawatts," Sky News reports.

A Lebanese official has confirmed to Reuters that the blackout is expected to last multiple days. "The Lebanese power network completely stopped working at noon today, and it is unlikely that it will work until next Monday, or for several days," the official said.

Over the past months major Lebanese cities and towns have

experienced periodic blackouts, but this looks to be the worst and most far-reaching and long lasting -Much of the past year in Lebanon has witnessed scenes of sometimes miles-long lines at gas stations, with fights and disputes over supplies becoming almost routine. Residents and business owners have tried to endure via generators and hoarding personal fuel supplies insofar is possible for those who can afford it." ZeroHedge

Papal Notes - Lebanon bending the knee next?

And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. Revelation 13:3

"Four patriarchs have already confirmed their attendance at the Vatican’s day of prayer for Lebanon hosted by Pope Francis.

The pope announced earlier this week that he had invited the leaders of the main Christian communities in Lebanon to the Vatican on July 1 to “pray together for the gift of peace and stability.”

Lebanon has faced a financial and political crisis for months, as politicians have failed to form a government to implement reforms after the devastating explosion in Beirut’s port last August.

Archbishop Joseph Spiteri, the apostolic nuncio to Lebanon, has said that all the heads of the Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant Christian communities in Lebanon have been invited to the prayer meeting, which will be presided over by Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Basilica." CNA

IN the NEWS - Prince of Persia Stalking Beirut still...

Go up to Lebanon, and cry... Jeremiah 22:20

The Prince of Persia--whether inspiring someone to intentionally cause the Blast in Beirut--or--whether it somehow "accidently" exploded----he must be happy with the devastation and follow up social unrest he will unleash on Lebanon (on the heels of recent unrest there). And who knows IF this will somehow be used to start a mid-east war on a scale not seen since the Iran-Iraq War/bloodletting of the early 80's.

"Angry protesters storm gov't buildings as tens of thousands rally against Lebanon's ruling class after deadly explosion.

Thousands of protesters have gathered in central Beirut seeking justice over Tuesday's catastrophic explosion as riot police fire tear gas at those trying to break through a barrier to the parliament building.
One policeman killed in the Beirut clashes; dozens of protesters wounded.

At least 158 people were killed in the explosion and more than 6,000 others injured, but numbers are expected to rise as search and rescue operations continue for missing people."

The Lebanese army drove out a group of protesters who had taken over the foreign ministry building in central Beirut hours earlier.

The demonstrators, led by retired army officers, had stormed the building and declared it the "headquarters of the revolution", but they were expelled three hours later when large army reinforcements muscled in.

 

The army attacked protesters with sticks, beating a large number of them, while demonstrators responded by throwing rocks at the

troops.
"Take off the suit and come stand with us, then you can wear it again with honor," a protester said as a number of them confronted a line of soldiers. 
"Tell us what you get from being with them? We really don't understand it, why are you doing this to us?"
At least 238 proesters have been wounded in central Beirut. A group of protesters have stormed Lebanon's Association of Banks, as well as the Lebanese energy ministry as part of their attempt to take over the country's ministries. A Lebanese policeman was killed in clashes with demonstrators in central Beirut, a police spokesman said.

Thousands of people poured into Beirut's main square hanging up symbolic nooses that they say officials should be hanged with over this week's blast amid clashes between protesters and riot police near parliament.
Al Jazeera's Zeina Khodr at the scene said civil society groups have been calling on people to return to the streets, saying "enough is enough".
"There's a lot of anger, a lot of rage, people are calling for revenge and justice. They say today is about justice for the victims of Tuesday's blast," Khodr said. "They want politicians hanged, they want politicians executed."Al Jazeera